London Olympics 2012: Terrorist Attack Expected

Conspiracy theories are everywhere regarding the upcoming Olympic Games [July 27 in London], and as you can see in the second video below, 13,500 security personnel will be employed as protection against just about anything. But will it be enough? To add to the drama, the word ZION is encoded in the 2012 Logo [see video @ 7:30]  Don't watch the video if you're already anxious: it is just speculation anyway.

 

The Thirteenth Gate - How To Pray

I know there are people who read this blog who don't know how to pray. It's one of those mysteries of life that you may be too embarrassed to admit to.

So here's some hints.

First of all, get yourself a prayer book. If you are new to this, as I was when I started seriously praying [about 15 years ago], you may need to watch how other people do it. Go to a synagogue and just find someone who looks like they know what they're doing.... and watch.

I learnt a lot from watching one of the rebetzins here. She even gave me some special tips..... which I didn't have to ask for.

Which prayer book? Typically, people use the one they have grown up with, the one their father/mother used, or the one used by the synagogue of their choice. If your parents didn't pray, you have no shul, and you don't know where to start.... then you can choose your own nusach [specific way of praying]. If you want to use the Arizal's nusach, get yourself a Siddur Tehillat Hashem - that's the one I use, wherever I go that's my way of praying. You can pray in any language, but if you can read Hebrew, I suggest you make the effort to say it in Hebrew. It may be slow going, but there's no rush, and you can do bits and pieces in English if you're impatient. No-one's judging you, this is your prayer and Hashem will hear you in whatever language you choose to do it in.

Men: you need to be putting on tefillin every morning. You need to be praying with a minyan in a shul. If that is not possible, find a rabbi and ask his advice. Women: you can pray whenever you like, no accessories necessary, but early morning is a good time to do it.

Reb Chaim Vital says in the name of the Arizal that there are twelve gates in the Heavens corresponding to the twelve tribes and each tribe has a designated entrance for their prayers. Each gate and their approach are different from the others.

Each of the tribes had their own specific Nusach Hatefillah [specific prayers]. The Holy Arizal established a Nusach that corresponds to all twelve of the tribes. The "Nusach Arizal" are the prayers for those who do not know their tribe.

The Chasam Sofer writes this concept in the name of the Maggid of Mezritz. He explains that in fact, there are thirteen gates in Heaven for our tefillos to pass through. Each gate is for one of the tribes and everyone’s tefillah can pass through the thirteenth gate.

More blog posts on praying can be found at: AbsoluteTruth613

Thought

North Korean rocket fails, crashes into sea

North Korea said its much hyped long-range rocket launch failed on Friday, in a very rare and embarrassing public admission of failure by the hermit state and a blow for its new young leader who faces international outrage over the attempt. 

The isolated North, using the launch to celebrate the 100th birthday of the dead founding president Kim Il-sung and to mark the rise to power of his grandson Kim Jong-un, is now widely expected to press ahead with its third nuclear test to show its military strength. 

"The possibility of an additional long-range rocket launch or a nuclear test, as well as a military provocation to strengthen internal solidarity is very high," a senior South Korean defense ministry official told a parliamentary hearing.

Read more:    Embarrassed by rocket crash, North Korea may try nuclear test

Video: North Korea puts brave face on rocket failure with mass centenary celebrations

Splitting Your Own Sea

by Rabbi Aron Moss - Nefesh

Question of the Week: Why did the Israelites have to pass through the Red Sea? On my map of the Middle East, the route from Egypt to Israel is directly through the desert. The sea is totally out of the way. G-d led them on a detour, trapping them between the sea and the chasing Egyptians, and then split the sea. Does G-d have no sense of direction? 

Answer: The Israelites passing through the Red Sea was not a geographical necessity, but a spiritual one. At the Red Sea, we were shown the power of the human soul. 

The earth is comprised of oceans and continents, sea and dry land. The difference between the two is that on dry land, all is open and visible. The trees, animals, mountains and people that occupy it are all easily recognisable. The sea on the other hand is a big blue expanse of mystery. Though the sea is teeming with life, when you look at it you can identify nothing, all is hidden beneath the surface. 

So it is with a person. Our personality has two layers: our sea, and our land. What we know of ourselves, our visible strengths, our tested talents and our known abilities, the elements of our character that we are aware of, these comprise the dry land of our personality. But below the surface of our character lies a vast sea of latent talents, inner strengths and untapped abilities that we never knew we had. In the depth of our soul lies a reserve of dormant energy waiting to be discovered. This is our sea, and even we ourselves are unaware of what lies there. How can we access this reservoir of potential? 

How can our sea become dry land? There is only one way. And we know it from the encounter at the Red Sea. 

The Israelites had their back to the wall: Egyptians closing in on one side, a raging sea threatening on the other. They had only two options, despair or faith. Logic and reason demanded that they give in. There was no possible way out of their predicament. But faith demanded that they keep marching to the Promised Land. Sea or no sea, this is the path that G-d has led us, so we have to have faith and march on. And so they did. 

It was at that moment, when hopelessness was countered by faith, that the impossible happened, and the sea opened up to become dry land. The most formidable obstacle dissolved into nothingness, without a struggle, just with faith. The people became empowered exactly when they acknowledged G-d as the only true power. By surrendering themselves to a higher force, they discovered the force within them. They split their own sea. 

The Jewish people are no strangers to times of challenge. At the very birth of our nation, we needed to learn how to face these challenges. So G-d took us on a detour to the sea and opened it up for us. He was telling every Jew for all times: Obstacles are not interruptions to the journey, they are the journey. Keep marching towards the Promised Land. Every challenge along the way will give you deeper insight and renewed power. Just have faith. It will split your sea.

Imminent lift off for North Korea rocket

North Korea's planned rocket launch could happen as early as this morning, defying calls from around the world for the country to abandon the launch.

The rocket launch window opened at 8:00am (AEST), with North Korea saying Monday is the last opportunity to launch the three-stage rocket.

The rocket's flight path will take it south past the Philippines and over central Australia. The United States and its allies have denounced the launch as a disguised ballistic missile test. 

 Source and more: ABC.net  and SMH.com

Moshiach's Seudah

Acharon Shel Pesach, the last day of Pesach [this coming Shabbat] has a special connection to the coming of Moshiach and is celebrated accordingly, by partaking of Moshiach's Seudah [the meal of Moshiach..... sometimes known as the Third Seder]

The last day of Pesach  is celebrated by eating a special, festive banquet called Moshiach's seudah, a custom initiated by the Baal Shem Tov. The connection between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach is explained by the Tzemach Tzedek: "The last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of Pesach is our festival commemorating our redemption from Egypt by the Holy One, Blessed be He. It was the first redemption, carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of Pesach is our festival commemorating the final redemption, when the Holy One, Blessed be He, will redeem us from the last exile through our righteous Moshiach, who is the final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe Rabbeinu's festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach's festival."

Pesach is the festival which celebrates freedom. The first day celebrates the redemption from the first exile; the last day celebrates the future redemption from the final exile. The two are intimately connected, the beginning and end of one process with G-d in the future redemption showing wonders "as in the days of your exodus from Egypt."

That Moshiach's festival is celebrated specifically on the last day of Pesach is not merely because Moshiach will redeem us from the last exile. Being last has a significance beyond mere numerical order, for that which is last performs a unique function. When the Jews journeyed in the desert after leaving Egypt, they marched in a specific order, divided into four camps. The last to march was the camp of Dan, which is described by Torah as "ma'asaf l'chol hamachanos" - "gatherer of all the camps." Rashi explains this as meaning that "The tribe of Dan...would journey last, and whoever would lose anything, it would be restored to him."

The concept of "gatherer of all the camps" - restoring lost property and making sure that nothing is missing - may be applied to various situations. The Baal Shem Tov, for example, taught that just as the Jews in the desert made forty-two journeys before they reached their final destination, Eretz Yisroel, so there are forty-two journeys in each Jew's individual life. The birth of a person corresponds to the initial journey when the Jews left the land of Egypt, and at each stage of life a Jew is somewhere in the middle of one of the forty-two journeys he must experience before he enters the next world.

Not only a person's entire life, but also every individual service to G-d has various stages or "journeys." In particular, the conclusion of a specific service acts as the "gatherer of all the camps" - to make sure that nothing is missing from that service. Pesach, it was noted earlier, is associated with the concept of redemption, and our service on Pesach is correspondingly directed towards hastening the arrival of the final redemption. But even if service on Pesach was deficient, if opportunities were missed, not all is lost: the last day of Pesach acts as "gatherer of all the camps" for the entire festival. Just as the tribe of Dan restored lost articles to their owners, so the last day of Pesach provides a Jew with the opportunity to rectify omissions in the service of Pesach, and thereby regain what is rightfully his.

Because Pesach is associated with the redemption through Moshiach and the last day of Pesach is the finish to and completion of Pesach, the last day of Pesach accordingly emphasizes the coming of Moshiach.

The notion of "gatherer of all the camps" applies not only to each individual Jew's life and service, but also to Jewry in general. The forty-two journeys between leaving Egypt and entering Eretz Yisroel took place in the desert, the "wilderness of the nations," which is an allusion to the period of exile when Jews sojourn amongst the nations of the earth. The forty-two journeys in the desert served as the means wherewith Jews left the limitations of Egypt.  Thus all the journeys undertaken until the Jews actually entered Eretz Yisroel may be viewed as part of the exodus from Egypt. So too with the journeys in the exile: until Jews merit the final redemption, they are still journeying to reach Eretz Yisroel.  In every generation, Jews are somewhere in the middle of one of those forty-two journeys.

As in the journeys in the desert, there is a "gatherer of all the camps" in the generations-long journey of Jews to the Messianic Era. Our present generation is that of "the footsteps of Moshiach," the last generation of exile. It is the "gatherer of all the camps" of all generations of Jews.

That this generation of exile is the "gatherer of all the camps" of all generations is not just because it is the last. Exile is not just punishment for sin.

The mission of Jews is to elevate and refine this corporeal world, to reveal G-dliness and to transform the physical into a dwelling place for G-d. Dispersed throughout the world in exile, Jews have been given the opportunity and the means to carry out this mission in all parts of the world.

This has been the Jews' task throughout their history. "Gatherer of all the camps" in this context means that if any portion of that task is missing, it now can be rectified. Thus the era of "gatherer of all the camps" is the era when the world will have been fully refined and G-dliness revealed: the Era of Moshiach.

It is for this reason that it is our generation which is that of "the footsteps of Moshiach" and "gatherer of all the camps." For the service of Jews throughout the generations has been all but completed, and only the finishing touches - "gatherer of all the camps" - is needed. We stand ready and prepared to greet Moshiach.

Moshiach, of course, could have come in previous generations. The Talmud, for example, relates that at the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, a cow lowed twice. The first time meant that the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed; the second time meant that Moshiach was born. In other words, the potential Moshiach was born immediately after the destruction and had the Jews merited it then, he would have been the actual Moshiach.

Although Moshiach could have come in previous generations, the future redemption nevertheless has a greater connection to our generation - just as the idea of Moshiach is emphasized on the last day of Pesach,  although the whole of Pesach is associated with the future redemption. For both are the concept of "gatherer of all the camps" and we accordingly celebrate Moshiach's seudah specifically on the last day of Pesach.

There is still more to the connection between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach. The prophet Yechezkel describes the exodus from Egypt - which took place on the first day of Pesach - as the birth of the Jewish nation.

The last day of Pesach, the eighth day, is therefore the day of the circumcision, which is "the beginning of the entry of the holy soul." Moshiach is the yechidah - the most sublime level of the soul - of the Jewish people. Until the body of Jewry has undergone circumcision it is not whole; its holy soul is missing. Moreover, the Alter Rebbe writes, the highest level of circumcision will take place in the future, when "The L-rd will circumcise your heart."

The Haftorah read on the last day of Pesach is also connected with the Messianic Era. It states: "The wolf will lie down with the lamb...He will raise a banner for the return...the earth will be full of the knowledge of the L-rd." All of these verses refer to the Messianic Era.

Thus the relationship between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach. But why do we mark this relationship by eating a meal?

Belief in Moshiach is a cardinal tenet of the Jewish faith, enshrined as one of Rambam's thirteen principles of belief: "I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Moshiach; and although he may tarry, I will wait for him every day that he shall come." But abstract belief is not enough. Our intellectual awareness must be translated into concrete action - by eating of Moshiach's seudah. Moreover, the food from Moshiach's seudah becomes part of our flesh and blood, and our faith in, and yearning for Moshiach permeates not just the soul's faculties but also the physical body.

Moshiach's seudah was initiated by the Baal Shem Tov, and there is good reason why it was by him specifically. In a famous letter to his brother in law, R. Gershon of Kitov, the Baal Shem Tov tells of the time he experienced an elevation of the soul to the highest spheres. When he came to the abode of Moshiach, he asked, "When will the Master come?" to which Moshiach replied, "When your wellsprings shall spread forth to the outside." In other words, it is the Baal Shem Tov's teachings - Chassidus - which will bring Moshiach, and it is therefore particularly appropriate that it was the Baal Shem Tov who initiated Moshiach's seudah on the last day of Pesach.

In the time of the Baal Shem Tov, the principal element of the seudah was matzah. The Rebbe Rashab, fifth Rebbe of Chabad, added the custom of drinking four cups of wine. Matzah is poor man's bread, flat and tasteless. Wine, in contrast, not only possesses taste, but induces joy and delight, to the extent that our Sages say, "Shirah [song] is said only over wine."

Chabad Chassidus conveys the concepts of Chassidus, first propounded by the Baal Shem Tov, in an intellectual framework, enabling them to be understood by a person's Chochmah [wisdom], Binah [knowledge], and Da'as [understanding] - ChaBaD. And when a person understands something - in this case the concepts of Chassidus - he enjoys it that much more. Chabad, in other words, introduced "taste" and "delight" into Chassidic doctrines, which until then were accepted primarily on faith alone.

The four cups of wine also allude to the Messianic Age, for which the dissemination of Chassidus - especially Chabad Chassidus - is the preparation. The four cups symbolize: the four expressions of redemption; the four cups of retribution G-d will force the nations of the world to drink; the four cups of comfort G-d will bestow upon the Jews; the four letters of G-d's Name which will be revealed; the four general levels of repentance.

[Source: Sichah of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Acharon Shel Pesach, 5742]

North Korea says fuel being injected into rocket

The Unha-3 (Milky Way 3) rocket is pictured on a launch pad at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site during a guided media tour by North Korean authorities in the northwest of Pyongyang April 8, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Bobby Yip

North Korea said on Wednesday it was injecting fuel into a long-range rocket "as we speak" ahead of a launch condemned by its neighbors and the West.

The launch is set to take place between Thursday and next Monday and has prompted neighbors such as the Philippines to re-route their air traffic just in case.

 Source: Reuters

Jonathan Pollard in Prison: New Torah Codes

Pharoah Obama

This is a re-blog from April 26, 2010, as I was reminded of it by this posting at Palm Tree of Deborah

The Year of Revealed Truths

[Guest post from Daniel S.]

"Just as in the days when we left Mitzrayim, He will again show us wonders" [Michah 7:15]

The Sages in the Zohar Hakadosh [Holy Zohar] write that, in the Last Days, all the major historic enemies of Israel, such as Nevuchadnetzar, Sancherib, Haman [Ahmanedijad], and even Pharaoh, will all be brought back in one generation, as gilgulim [reincarnated souls], to fight against Israel one final time, this time to be destroyed forever, during the last generation of the complete and final redemption.

There are truly so many fascinating parallels one does not know where to begin. The Zohar writes about a general gilgul -- reincarnation [return] of all rishaim [evil regimes] in the End of Days - those who destroyed the Temples and many others as well. The specific return of Nevuchadnetzar, for example, is noted twice in Zohar Parshas Beshalach 58b.

To give you an idea of how the Zohar's words apply to our generation, the last generation:

It is known that Saddam Hussein had often stated that he was Nebucadnezzar II, king of Bavel and had, on two occasions, rebuilt his palaces [due to the damage during the Iraq wars] and engraved images of the ancient king next to his own on the protective outer walls of each. The sole propaganda print media in Iraq, for example, was run by Saddam’s son and was called “Babel.” All of the many tank divisions in his army were named after great Babylonian kings. His most infamous, “feared” Iraqi guard divisions went by the name of “Nebucadnezzar.” Imprinted on all of Saddam's minted coins was the phrase “2500 years of glory: From Nebuchadnezzar to Saddam Hussein.”

Given that Saddam has already fought his wars against Israel and was embarrassed in front of the entire world, and finally executed a few years ago for this and numerous other reasons, I am assured that we are so close to the End.

In that vein, let us speculate who the Sages might say that Pharaoh is in our day. Below are pictures of the final Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, that, all archaeologists agree, brought the millennium-long rule of the Egyptian superpower to a sudden inexplicable close. The actual Pharaoh of the Exodus, named Akhenaten [Adiakim according to one Midrash], ruled for four years from 1312-16 BCE when his kingdom was destroyed and abandoned. This span of time is extremely close to Egypt's own time-line record, as the year of the Exodus indeed occurred in 1312, the year unanimously agreed upon by all of our Sages.

It was his grandmother who likely raised him and his son, Prince Tut [mistakenly called “King” Tut], who died 'suddenly' at the age of 19 from a very rare form of malaria, according to recent DNA testing. This “disease” should actually be called “makas bichoros” -- “smiting of the firstborn”.

According to one Midrash, he intriguingly ruled for just four years [until the Exodus]. Here is a corroborating archaeological record from Egypt7000bc : ”Ekhanaton, or Amenhotep IV, was the son of Amenhotep III. In the fourth year of his rule, he chose the place of the new capital, and proceeded to build it in year five naming his new kingdom... El Amarna.” In Hebrew this means “G-d declared it to be so.” So, by the fourth year of this final regime, they completely decimated and destroyed their own kingdom, all the while not listening to the good advice of all those around them. Their main obsession and focus of their harshness and evil dictates, was solely against the children of Israel from among all the other nations of the world. Sound all too familiar?

Clearly our guy [very tall and thin]:

Now to view some pictures of his partner Michele Obama: Note, these older images, forensically reproduced from her mummified remains, are of when she was Pharaoh's mother, or possibly grandmother. Recall that Obama was raised by his grandmother. Since the world, at the time, was in a state of the 49th level of tumah [impurity] – perhaps they were all married at various points from an incestuous viewpoint. Midah kineged midah – measure for measure - justice, she returns finally as his actual wife. She is literally hand in hand with Akhenaten at religious ceremonies and state occasions in all the artwork left behind.

As President, Obama first spoke to the world from, of all places, Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Using this opportunity to make a global statement to dictate to Israel regarding the disallowing and delegitimizing of building homes for Jews in their own tiny country. "Any nation, including Iran" he shouted, "should have the right to nuclear power, since the US has no right to dictate to foreign sovereign nations" [excepting Israel since in his eyes they are not yet a legitimate nation]  - see video below.

Obama later went on a tour that included the site of the city "El Amarna" built by the last Pharoah, Akhenaten. In Hebrew, "El Amarna" means "G-d declared it so". Akhenaten built this new city in northern Egypt, far removed from his old, dead kingdom full of his idols and palaces, as a testament to his new monotheistic belief in one God, and in the hope of revolutionizing all of Egyptian culture and belief.

Discovered amongst the excavations of the Royal Tomb of Amarna was a letter addressed to Akhenaten from the Canaanite kings. They were begging for last words of advice, as the tribes of Israel had begun to enter their lands. This just shows us how long Hashem allowed Pharoah to live after the Exodus [40 plus years], sufficient time to build a new city dedicated to One God. Many secular people naively call Akhenaten the Father of Monotheism, despite our father Avraham having preceded him by 500 years.

The family: The images of their two eldest daughters, who likely were present during the Exodus (derived from the fact that they alone consistently accompany them in the ancient carvings), were likewise forensically reconstructed from their mummified remains. They are eerily identical in both appearance and age to the first couple's current offspring, Malia and Sasha. [see bottom right of picture below]

More info some of which is accurate, some not, can be found at Tour Egypt

Admittedly, the parallels are truly intriguing. But why has Hashem indeed appointed Obama to be in charge over us at the end?

Midrash Sefer HaYashar 71:12-16: At the point in time when Moshe had to flee Egypt due to Lashon Hara [evil gossip]: “And Aharón his brother alone remained in the land of Mitzráyim, and he predicated to the sons of Yisroel, saying: Thus says Hashem the Mighty One of your fathers: ‘Throw away, each man, the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the worshipped images of Mitzráyim!’

And the sons of Yisroel rebelled and would not hearken to Aharon at that time. And Hashem thought to destroy them, were it not that He remembered the covenant which He had made with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakóv.

In those days the hand of Pharaóh continued to be severe against the sons of Yisroel, and he crushed and oppressed them until the time when Hashem sent forth His Word and took notice of them.”

The gematria [numerical letter value] of פרעה [Paraoh] is 355 +1 im hakollel [for the name itself] equals 356- so too does Barak Obama: ברק אובמה

And what about the reason for Ahmanedijad or, for that matter, all the many evil regimes currently poised against us?? See the B'raita in Talmud Sanhedrin 97b and Kol Hator 4:3 - If we don't repent of our own volition: “Hashem will erect harsh enemies like Haman that will rule over them with many decrees, forcing them to come to teshuva, in the End.”

Finally, due to his “illegitimate background” [having possessed unique non-polytheistic beliefs], Akhenaten was erased from the ancient record of Egyptian kings.

To all of you awaiting Mashiach while completing your teshuvah: We are so very close that this has truly been the beginning of the “year of revealed truths,” to become even clearer in increasing stages over the next few years. Watch events carefully as they culminate with the sudden rise of Mashiach ben Yoseph...whose name has the same gematria as Barack Obama...

b'mhaira b'yamainu, Amen.

Daniel S.

The Book of Adam

Before the time of the Baal Shem Tov, lived a saintly, holy Jew, known as Reb Adam Ha Tzaddik. Rabbi Adam had mastered Torah and secrets of Kabbalah, but was still not satisfied. He pleaded with The Almighty: "Father in Heaven! I beg of You to open the innermost secrets of the Torah so that I may bring honor and glory to Your name."

One night, Rabbi Adam had a dream in which he stood in The Ma'aras Ha'Machpelah - the burial place of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. He saw lying before him 'HaSefer Ha'Adam - THE BOOK OF ADAM", in which is contained the TETGRAMATON - the secret, mystical name of the Eternal Being. Only six others were worthy of its secrets: Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and King Solomon. Rabbi Adam studied the book and its secret knowledge was revealed to him.

He then asked: "After I am gone from this world, to whom should I pass on these secrets of The BOOK OF ADAM?" A heavenly voice replied: "Seek Rabbi Israel, son of Rabbi Eliezer, who lives in Okup. He is worthy to receive it".

The next day, Rabbi Adam wrote down all he had learned. He then called his son and said, "When I take leave from this world, take this BOOK OF ADAM to Israel, son of Eliezer, who lives in Okup. This book will belong to him. After Rabbi Adam departed from this world, his son followed his father's request and gave the holy manuscript to The Baal Shem Tov.

In his time, Rabbi Adam was known as a man of great wisdom even among the non-Jews. The ruler of the adjoining land, a Kaiser, occasionally asked for his counsel. Once, when Rabbi Adam was summoned to the Kaiser's castle, after offering his opinion on a certain matter, he invited the Kaiser to a banquet in his home. To the surprise of the ruler's attendants, the Kaiser accepted the invitation, and a date was set for the following week. Then Rabbi Adam returned home to prepare for the Banquet.

Rabbi Adam lived in a very small, modest house - hardly suitable to entertain royalty. After purifying himself by immersing in a mikvah, Rabbi Adam fell into a deep state of meditation using secret powers entrusted to him through the Book of Adam.

He envisioned a king who lived in a large palace. This king wished to invite the ruler of the neighboring land for a banquet. The king instructed his servants to prepare a grand banquet. In a large banquet hall stood a large table bedecked with gold dishes. The king arranged for the neighboring land's king to attend his banquet on a certain date - the same day the Kaiser would visit Rabbi Adam.

Among the Kaiser's ministers was one who held a well-known hatred for Jews. He tried his best to dissuade the Kaiser from visiting Rabbi Adam: "Your Excellency, the Rabbi lives in a tiny two room house in a village. It is not fitting your honour to dine in such a setting." But the Kaiser recognized Rabbi Adam's wisdom and enjoyed their discussions, so he paid no attention to his minister. As the royal entourage traveled towards Rabbi Adam's town, the minister tried to convince the Kaiser to abandon the idea and return home to the palace. In the course of the journey, the Kaiser began to wonder how he and all his attendants would be able to dine in such a small house. He instructed one of his guards with the fastest horse to ride ahead and to report back as to the banquet preparations.

The messenger soon returned and reported that Rabbi Adam's house was a small shack and he did not see any special preparations being made. The Kaiser was now unsure, but as they were almost at their destination, decided to continue towards Rabbi Adam's home.

As the royal carriage entered the small town, the residents stood in disbelief: The Kaiser himself was in their town! As the Kaiser's carriage turned onto the street where Rabbi Adam lived, he beheld a magnificent palace! The Kaiser stepped out of his golden carriage with a great smile. Servants took the horses to the stables, while palace waiters silently escorted the Kaiser and his attendants to the banquet hall.

Rabbi Adam awaited the Kaiser in the banquet Hall, and soon the Kaiser and his court were sitting with Rabbi Adam enjoying the lavish feast.

Rabbi Adam then said, "I welcome you all to this palace of my King, and I invite you all to eat and drink to your fill! But I have one request. Please do not remove any of the table settings from the room."

Following the feast, Rabbi Adam turned to the Kaiser: "Any person among you who has a particular wish should say to me - 'I want this, or I want that' - and then put his hand in the pocket of his coat, and he will find the object that he wished for."

The Kaiser was first. He wished for a gold watch - and found it in the pocket of his coat. The ministers were beside themselves with excitement: They each told the Rabbi their requests, and each received his specific request.

When it was the turn of the minister who hated Jews, after telling Rabbi Adam his wish, he reached into his pocket, but screamed as he felt something disgusting! He quickly pulled out his hand covered with putrid slime! The smell was nauseating! He ran to wash his hand, but try as hard as he could, he could not rid himself of the foul smell that overtook his whole body.

The minister turned to Rabbi Adam: Pleas help me! I am going to faint from this stink!"

Rabbi Adam then said: "If you will swear to me in front of your master, the Kaiser, never to express your hate for the Jewish people again, I will help you. If not, you will bear this filthy odour for the remainder of your life." The minister began to wail - and then swore never to express hate for the Jewish people again.

Then Rabbi Adam told him: "There is only one remedy. To take the urine from a Jew. You will wash in it and this will take away the smell." And so it happened.

The Kaiser decided to test the Rabbi's request, and hid two gold cups from the banquet table in an inner pocket of his coat. The Kaiser thanked their host, and departed. As soon as they turned the corner, the palace and all that it held, disappeared. Only two gold cups were missing.

Word of the strange events spread throughout the land - that an unknown king with an unknown palace had suddenly appeared, and then again disappeared - except for two missing gold cups. Sometime later, the Kaiser sent a letter to the "unknown" king in which he wrote: "A Rabbi brought us to your palace, where we ate and drank your fine food and wine. As a sign of my respect, I am returning to you your two gold cups."

And so it was.

Source: Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in Shivchei HaBesht and translated in Tales of the Baal Shem Tov by Mintz and Ben Amos

Operation Hot Mic

You Only Run Twice
 Hat tip: Lemon Lime Moon

Behold, Days Are Coming

HT: Joe

Passover Miracles? You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet! 

by Rabbi Tuly Weisz 

While we all love and enjoy Passover, Jewish tradition says something surprising about the future of this beloved holiday. According to one opinion in the Talmud, at the end of times, we are not even going to talk about the Exodus from Egypt anymore because those miracles will be entirely overshadowed by what G-d has in store for us. Blood, frogs, lice… that’s nothing compared to what the Almighty has planned for the future redemption of the Jewish people. How could there be any miracles greater than the 10 plagues?! How could anything top the splitting of the sea?! 

The answer lies in a close reading of Jeremiah 23: ’Behold, days are coming’, says the Lord, ‘when they will no longer say, ‘As G-d lives, who brought the Jews out of the Egypt,’ but, ‘as G-d lives, who raised and returned the Jews from the northern lands and from every country into which I had driven them, and they will dwell on their own Land.’ 

What will make the future redemption even greater than our Exodus from Egypt is that it will be accompanied by the greatest biblical miracle ever imagined: the In-gathering of the Exiles. 

After 2,000 years of separation from the Land, it would be historically unprecedented if even a small number of Jews were to rediscover our ancient homeland. However, Jeremiah promises that Jews will return, not only as an isolated community here and there, but from all four corners of the world! On the most basic level, this pipe dream would have been logistically impossible just one century ago: the communication and transportation challenges were insurmountable. 

There was no one language to communicate with all of world Jewry, and even if there was, there was no way to reach all of them spread out to the far flung corners of the earth. And even if you could reach them, there was no good way to get to the Promised Land, and even if somehow large numbers of Jews got there, there was not even the most basic infrastructure to absorb them: there were no modern roads, plumbing or any other kind of industry to speak of. The list goes on and on. Who would have imagined that in the last century entire Jewish communities have picked up and resettled in the Land of Israel, just as the prophet described, and for for the first time since Jeremiah spoke those words, a majority of the world’s Jewry lives under a Jewish government, in one of the most advanced countries in the world?! 

The first Israeli Chief Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook zt"l [1865-1935] explained that this is precisely why the miracle of our future/current redemption is even greater than the miraculous Exodus. It would have been easier for G-d to break the laws of nature like He did with the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Sea, than to orchestrate our return to Israel through natural means. Yet, He has begun to do just that with the miraculous restoration of the Hebrew language, the in-gathering of Jews from Arab and African countries, the upheaval of the Holocaust and the rebirth of the Jewish State after 2,000 long years of exile. 

Passover is our time to explore the miracles that G-d performed for us long ago and appreciate His active role in our own lives as well. Those of us fortunate enough to live in this generation where we see with our own eyes the fulfillment of these grand Biblical prophesies were put here for a reason and must not merely stand by as passive onlookers. This Passover, make a commitment to connect with Israel, pray for Israel, support Israel and play a leading role in the most exciting drama of human history and the greatest Biblical miracles ever described.

IDF on Full Alert for Pesach

The IDF is making preparations to celebrate the holiday of Passover, which commemorates the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. Although Jewish people worldwide will be celebrating Passover with friends and family, many IDF soldiers will not able to do so because IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz has ordered all IDF units to cancel their usual Passover vacation. 

All IDF units are expected to remain on full alert due to unspecified security threats, possibly from Gaza. Israel has previously come under attack during Jewish holidays, including the 1973 Yom Kippur war and the terrorist attack during Passover in 2002.

Read more: Algemeiner

The Moshiach Haggadah: Free Download

Why does the Pesach Seder conclude with "Leshana haba b'Yirushalayim"? Is it simply the end of 15 seemingly unconnected stages describing Yetzias Mitzrayim? Or is it the start of a transformation that takes us from the First Redemption to the Final Redemption? 

 You'll find the answer in "The Moshiach Hagaddah" by the International Moshiach Campaign. 

"The Moshiach Hagaddah" presents the 15 Simonei Ha'Seder as as viewed through the perspective of Geulah. It was edited by Rabbi Binyomin Walters of Chicago IL, who edited the popular book, "Moshiach Day by Day." What's more, it will help you transform your Seder from a celebration of our past to an exciting trip that leads to our glorious future! 

The Moshiach Hagaddah, and The Moshiach Seudah Handbook, are now available as a free download. To obtain your copy, visit Moshiach Campaign

 Source: Chabad.info

Hevron Machpela Expulsion [video]

While it appeared that Defense Minister Ehud Barak had defied Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in expelling Jews from the Machpelah House in Hevron, Netanyahu had in fact agreed to the expulsion. 

Sources close to the prime minister explained his reasoning Wednesday, speaking to Maariv/nrg. Between Netanyahu’s declaration Tuesday evening that the eviction would be delayed and the expulsion early Wednesday afternoon, Barak met with Netanyahu and convinced him the expulsion was necessary, they said. 

 Source: Israel National News

Video: [HT: Moriah]

Develop a good eye.  Always looking for good will bring you to truth.

Even with a good eye, be careful not to rush to judgment. This is no different than looking at something from afar and drawing the wrong conclusion.

from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

North Korea 'preparing to unveil missile capable of striking continental US'

Reconnaissance satellites have identified the huge missile at a government research and development facility in Pyongyang, South Korean government sources told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

Analysts estimate the weapon to be around 130 feet long and, equipped with a more powerful booster unit, capable of delivering a warhead more than 6,200 miles.

Unveiling the missile will raise new fears in neighbouring countries, already alarmed by Pyongyang's insistence that it will go ahead with the launch in mid-April of a rocket to put a satellite into orbit. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believe the launch is a covert test launch of a missile.

South Korean and US officials said they believe Pyongyang wants to show the new missile off at the military parade scheduled for April 15 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birthday of the founder of the nation, Kim Il-sung, or on April 25th, which marks the founding of the North Korean army.

Source: Telegraph UK

Ships of Kittim [?]

[HT: Klishlishi]

''For ships of Kittim shall come against him...''[Daniel 11:30] 

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued a strong warning against a military attack on Iran Monday, April 2,, saying that a pre-emptive strike would violate international law. His comments, made during a visit to Armenia, stopped short of threatening (the US and/or Israel) of consequences. But they backed up and were in tune with the explicit threat from Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last Thursday of strong Iranian resistance to foreign intervention in Syria and vow to defend Damascus as the “center of resistance against Israel.” 

Western military observers link the two statements as representing an evolving Russian-Iranian front. After their shared success in delivering Bashar Assad from the revolt against his regime, the two partners are preparing to fend off a potential strike against Tehran’s nuclear program as well as shore up Iran’s regional interests from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. Continue reading at Debka

US State Department Refuses to Say Jerusalem is Israel's Capital - Updated: with Torah Codes

[HT: Miguel]

Last week’s United States Supreme Court decision declared that a lower court must deal with a complaint by a Jerusalem resident that the State Department has refused to write “Jerusalem, Israel” on his passport.

A court decision in the plaintiff’s favor would force a major policy change, but what apparently prompted the question to the State Department was its altering an official communication that originally referred to Israel and Jerusalem as separate entities. “The first media note was issued in error, without appropriate clearances,” Nuland tried to explain.

 The Clinton, Reagan and Obama administrations have used a Congressional waiver to avoid carrying out a law that declares that the embassy be in Jerusalem. The waiver allows the president to declare that carrying out the law would create a national security problem, although it never has been explained how American security would be threatened by moving the embassy.

 

 Also see: Is Israeli Capital in Tel Aviv?

And a timely Torah code video from Rabbi Glazerson: ''Jerusalem is the Heart of Israel''